Closure sealing device



C. H. WETZEL CLOSURE SEALING DEVICE Jan. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1954 Jan.. 27, H. WETZEL cLosURE: SEALING DEvcE Filed sept. le, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,870,495" CIJosInR'it` SEA-LING DEVICE'v CharlsiH. Wete'l; Wayne,1Pa:-assignor to Waynelroil Works,=-WayneP-aa, au corporation of Pennsylvania Appui-'zarten september 146, 1954, st-rialNo. 456,483y

1 claim (els 20H68):

This-invention relates toclosure members and more particularly to a-new and-improved-sealingmeans for use on-sliding,,folding-or-swinging closure membersv ofmany different kinds such as partitions,doors,- windows,--casements, etc.- The sealing means ofthis invention sautomatically. elective to seal-'ott or close the-clearance space between the-lower edge oftheclosurememberandthe confronting floorl orother surface-when the closure-memberitselfis movedto closed position.

Conventional closure sealing devices involve complicated detailsand arrangements of parts, and/or require preciselocation and-alignment with respect to the closure member with which -they are associated. In contradistinction thereto,the closure-sealing means ofthis inventioniis simple in-constructionand-can be mountedon a closure memberwithout-necessity 'foraccurate location and-alignment with respect thereto. Due to the simplicity of construction, the closure sealing means of this invention is economical toy produce and: easy to maintain.

I-t--is accordingly an-object of this invention toprovide an improved closure member sealing meanswhichis automatic-and foolproof-in operation, simple in construction and durable in use.-

LA furtherobject-of thisinvention is to provide anovel closure member sealingv meanswhich canv be mounted withoutnecessity for accurate setting thereoff on the-closure member.- Y

Another object-Vis to provide closure-membersea-ling means having a high degree of self-adjustability to uneven or untrue oor conditions.

Further objects and advantages will become" apparent from'A the detaileddescription which follows.-

The novel sealing means. which for-ms the present invention willbe described with referenceto its use on a foldingpanel partition; The folding panel partition shown in the drawing isof conventional typev used todivide a large room-or enclosure into two smaller ones. This partition is o flthefmonofo1d type in which the partition when folded-.isl stackedonA one sideofthe room, and when extended travels across theroom to the opposite wall. The invention applies equally to the duo-fold type of partition, in which the partition isl made inf two parts which when folded, stack respectively on opposite sides of the room; and when extended travel across the room to meet in the mid area,.the one then acting as an abutment for the other.

I'n-the drawing-z Fig. 1f is' a sideelevational-view'of one' panel of a foldihgl panel partition-and a portion' of another panel;- these panelsr being providedwith theimproved sealing' rn'eans of this' invention;-

Fig-l 2 isacross-seetional- View taken on line'V 2"-'2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational- View showing the sealing means' i'r fully closed position;`

Figi-4 i's a' fragmentary side elevational viewl illustrating the self-adjustability of the sealing means to meet abno'rmal conditions-in the related-structure;

Figs 5f and 6 are fragmentary sectional eli.`\`ratioual` United StateS Patent 2. viewsL illstratingmodications within' the' scope' of" tli'e invention; y

Fig.` 7`isasimilar viewshowing still another mod'lcation, and n. v n

Fig. 87 is a sectionalv'iewon the line'S-S', Fig. 7.'

Reference numeral 1"A refers to the outer endpa'n'elof the partition which leads when the partition isb'eing eX- tended. This leading panel is pivotally'eonnected'ltoiritermediate-panel-Z by means of hinges one' of'which is shown-at 2a in Fig. 17. Fig. 1- shows these panels at 4a point in theii' movement 'toward 'closed position and"short lybefore the' sealingl means of this invention: becomes automatically efectivo. Each of' the panels is" provided with inset members 3`di'sposedon opposite sides of -the base of'fthe panel'to form therebetween a-hou'sing space for'a sealingz strip.- Except for certain details in the'lengjthand shape-ofthe sealinglstr-ip which will be pointed out below/the sea-lingmeans for each panel'is the same. According-ly the sealing, means will be described a't this pointwithA respect only. to the outer end panel.

The sealing., means comprises a sealing strip 4^, coil springs 5,' ,andh -means for automatically' moving the sealing, strip downwardly into engagement with the oor' 6 upon movementof the panels to closed` position. The sealingst'rip #can-be of any desiredmaterial and normally lies below andl parallel with the lower edge of the bottom rail-o'fthe panel'framework. This strip 4` is providediwith a-portion-'lwhich normally projects horizontallylpast the outer'vertic'al o'r` leading edge of the panel. l-Lircept when the panel is in closed' position, the sealing strip-43s resilien'tly support'edabove the oo'r' 6 by means ofc-oil'edtension springs 5. Downward movement of the sealing strip 4` when tbe panel' isv moved to closed position is elfected by Hexible leaf spring cams 8 in cooperation with their respective follower rollers 9'; The cams S'are secured to the upper edge of the sealing strip 4 by any suitable means. Brackets 10 *mountv the rollers 9 and' are' secured to the bottom of the panely between the members" 3. During the final movement of the panel to closed position, projecting portion 7 of the sealing strip 4 will engage wall 1`1` and the wall will then constit'ut'e a-st'op interrupting the movement of the strip with the'panel during the final movement of the latter to fully closed po'siio'n. The resulting relative movement between the panel andthe strip will cause the rollers 9 to advance onto` the inclined portions of the respective flexible cams 8 and will thereby force the sealing strip downwardly toward the loor 6 against the tension ofthe springsS. At the fully closedf position of the panel, the vertical edge of the-latter willy have engaged the wall 11 and the lower edge ofthe sealingv strip 4 will lie in engagement withy the floor 6. see'Fig. '3, the spacev between the floor andpanel being. thereby eectively sealed.

more detailed consideration of the operationofthis improved sealing-- means will-disclose one of the-more important advantages of this novel mechanism. Referring' to Fig. 1', the initial movement-of the sealing strip 4 after projeeting-portion '7 engages the wall 1l is-downward. This continues until the sealing strip engages the floor, at which timeno further movement of the strip downwardly is possible. In certain conventional sealing strip const-ructions, the length to which portion 7 projects beyond the adjacent vertical edge of the panel must be laccurately drnensionedinorder that the outer extremity of portion l may move: into alignment with the vertical edge of the panel precisely' at the time the lowermostedge of the sealing stripengages the floor. Otherwise, either the sealing, strip will not engage andy seal. off. all. of` the space between the closuremember andlthe floor, or the said verti'cafedg ofthe panel will not meet the wall 11. Such ijs not' the' case' with. the'l sealing means 'of this invention.

Aftericota'ctbetween thelower edge of the sealing strip and the door, the panel may still move to the left with respect to the strip due to the flexibility of the springs and cams 8. Under these conditions, the coil springs S will continue to extend and the inclined portions of exible cams 8 will be exed downwardly by the rollers 9 until the edge of the panel engages the wall. It will be apparent therefore that neither the longitudinal position of the sealing strip with respect to the panel at the open position nor the height of the lower edge of the panel with respect to the oor is critical in accom- -modating the sealing means of this invention to any particular installation.

Another desirable characteristic resides in the high degree of inherent self-adjustability in the device. It is not necessary, for example, that the lower edge of the panel be parallel to the floor 6, since, as shown in Fig. 4, the strip 4 will automatically assume a position in its housing and by differential action of the resilient cams 9, in correspondence with the floor surface.

Any number of intermediate panels such as that denoted by reference numeral 2 in Figs. l and 3 may be provided in addition to the inner end panel (not shown). Each panel is provided with a separate sealing strip, and all of the strips move into abutting, longitudinally aligned relation with each other when the panels are moved lfrom their folded positions to their unfolded and coplanar positions. With all of the sealing strips in abutting and substantially longitudinally aligned relation at the position of the panels shown in Fig. 1, longitudinal movement of the sealing strip 4 on panel 1 due to engagement of projecting portion 7 with the wall 11 is in turn transmitted to the other sealing strips of the respective panels. In the present instance, the length of the sealing strip for each `of the intermediate panels is equal to the length of the respective intermediate panel to which it is attached, and normally lies within the contines of said panel.

It is apparent that the closure member sealing means disclosed herein is equally effective for use on swinging and sliding closure members. Also, this improved closure sealing means can be utilized on single or plural sectioned doors, windows, easements, etc. A reversal of the relative positions of the rollers and coacting cams will not offset the operating characteristics.

The invention is not limited to the particular construction described above and may be embodied in other forms without departure from the principle of the invention. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, for example, the exible cam 8 of the previously described embodiment is replaced by a rigid cam element 12. The roller or cam follower 13 is mounted in this case upon a bracket 14 which is pivotally secured at 15 to the bottom of the panel, the panel in this instance being indicated by the reference numeral 16. The bracket 14 is depressed by a coil spring 17 which normally holds the free end of the bracket against a stop 18, the follower 13 being engaged with the cam 12. When the sealing strip 19 to which the cam 12 is secured, is forced to the right as viewed in Fig. 5 and as described in connection with the embodiment of the invention disclosed above, the cam 12 reacting with the roller 13 will force the sealing strip downwardly toward and against the floor surface 2t). If the strip 19 engages the oor before its longitudinal movement has been completed the roller 13 and its bracket 14 may be upwardly about the pivot 15 and against the pressure of the spring 17 which contracts to relieve the undue strain which otherwise would fall upon the elements of the device.

The embodiment of Fig. 6 corresponds more closely to that disclosed in Figs. l to 3 inclusive in that in this case the cam 21 is resiliently supported in normal operative position. The cam support in this instance takes the form of a coil spring 22 which reacts with the sealing strip 23 and against the underside of the came 21, the opposite end of the cam being hinged at 24 to a bracket 25 attached to the sealing strip. The follower roller 26 in.

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this case is supported in a bracket 27 rigidly secured to the bottom of the panel 28. It will be apparent that the spring 22 prevents undue strain being imposed upon the elements in the event that the sealing strip 23 engages the floor or other obstruction before its longitudinal movement to the right has been completed.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a somewhat different arrangement comprising a rigid cam element 29 attached to the upper part 30 of a sealing strip indicated generally by the reference numeral 31. The follower 32 is jour nalled in a bracket 33 rigidly secured to the bottom of the panel 34. Longitudinal movement of the sealing strip 31 to the right as viewed in Fig. 7 will result in a reaction between the cam and its follower which will force the strip downwardly toward the floor surface indicated by the reference numeral 35. In the event that an obstruction or the floor surface 35 itself interrupts the downward movement of the sealing strip before the longitudinal movement of the strip has been completed, a lower longitudinal portion 36 of the strip which is adjustably secured to the upper portion 30 will move upwardly against the pressure of springs 37-37 which normally hold the portion 36 of the strip in a relatively extended position. The lower portion 36 of the strip is attached to the upper portion 30 in the present instance by means of a linkage 38, and the maximum extended position of the lower portion 36 of the strip is established by tie bolts 39 which extend upwardly from the section 36 of the strip through apertures 40 in the upper strip portion 30 in which apertures the bolts are freely slidable. Nuts 41 on the upper ends of the bolts engage the upper edge of the strip section 30 and act as stops to limit the extension of the lower section 36 of the strip by the springs 37.

I claim:

A sealing device for folding partitions, doors and like closure members, said device comprising a sealing strip mounted on the closure member with freedom to move both longitudinally and transversely relative to said member between a normal retracted inoperative position and an extended sealing position, a resilient cam assembly including a cam element and co-active rolling follower mounted one on the closure member and the other on the sealing strip for actuation in response to the said longitudinal movement of the strip to displace the strip transversely to the extended position, said cam assembly comprising a resilient leaf spring having a free end portion inclined to the longitudinal axis of the strip and yieldable in direction normal to said axis under pressure of the follower for relieving an undue pressure on the assembly when the displacement movement of the strip is interrupted before completion of the longitudinal movement of the strip, and resilient means operatively con nected to the member and lstrip for supporting the strip in the retracted position, said means being biased by longitudinal displacement of the strip from the normal retracted position so as to exert forces tending to draw the strip both longitudinally and transversely from the extended position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 19,217 Tinney Jan. 26, 1858 630,216 Grover Aug. 1, 1899 652,489 Sandberg et al. June 26, 1900 1,606,407 Ford Nov. 9, 1926 1,963,819 Yates June 19, 1934 2,180,112 Jones Nov. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,889 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1887 389,172 France lune 19, 1908 488,511 Great Britain July S, 1938 841,285 France Feb. l, 1939 299,958 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1954 

